


The Badge and Badgering

by TheRedPoet



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 21:52:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11113593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRedPoet/pseuds/TheRedPoet
Summary: Weiss contemplates team dynamics.





	The Badge and Badgering

**Author's Note:**

> A mostly pointless bit of fluff.

Once upon a time, Weiss had come to Beacon expecting a great many things. Of herself. Of her would-be peers. She had expected a position of leadership, of authority, a stepping stone to her future within the Schnee Dust Company. Things had not worked out as planned.

Weiss sighed heavily and stared at the spot where she had left Ruby and her Practical Dust Application essay half an hour earlier. Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. Slow deep breaths helped her regain some semblance of control of her emotions and she stomped back out of the library.

Her search took her around all of Ruby’s usual haunts. The dorms, the workshop, and the kitchen, where an old matronly woman would sometimes sneak her a cookie if she pouted enough. Nothing.

Eventually, she was exasperated to the point where desperate measures were justified and she grabbed a lanky young man by one arm, turning him around. He flailed around in a startled panic, almost tripped, and then tried to turn the motion into a casual movement of his hand to sweep back his scruffy blonde hair.

“Oh,” Jaune said. “Hey there, snow angel.”

The winning smile did not last long under the weight of her withering stare. He swallowed and looked down at his feet.

“Ruby. Where is she?”

Jaune glanced over his shoulder, presumably for a rescue. None came.

“Outside. Um... In the courtyard, over by the trees.”

His answer was prompt, at least, and Weiss gave him a brief nod of thanks before departing. Her own partner might have a great many questionable habits but things could most assuredly have been worse.

Weiss found Ruby Rose where Jaune had told her she would, laying on her belly in the grass, legs raised at the knees and kicking the air lazily. Her essay was weighed down by a rock a foot to her side and the girl’s full attention was focused on… a mouse. Weiss froze on the spot and stared.

It was a little woodland critter, no more than four inches from the tip of its long pointed snout to its wiggling tail, and it sat quite peacefully in the younger girl’s hand, nibbling on cookie crumbs. Ruby was stroking a thumb carefully along its head as it ate, completely unaware of the rest of the world.

The essay was important and due the next day but Weiss could not for the life of her find it in her heart to disturb them. Ruby loved animals and they loved her. It didn’t seem to matter what species, really. Dogs and cats that would ignore or snap at Weiss would curl up happily in the Ruby’s lap and Weiss had twice been forced to take a stray that had tried to follow them over to a shelter. The bribes to ensure the critters hadn’t been euthanized had cost her a large chunk of her monthly allowance but it had been well worth it.

The mouse finally decided it had eaten enough and Ruby sighed wistfully as it scurried off, rolling over onto her back and yelping loudly when she spotted Weiss.

“Oh. Hi bestie!” She squeaked.

Weiss glared at her. It was a lot harder to do than with Jaune, but she had practise and plenty of motivation.

“The essay?” She asked pointedly.

Ruby swallowed. “All done! I just… Needed some fresh air. Felt all cooped up.”

Weiss settled on the grass next to her and plucked up the essay. It was… Good. When Ruby had first been elected team leader, Weiss had thought her a foolish child, with little clue of anything beyond swinging that ridiculously over-designed gardening tool of hers. She had been wrong. Her many infuriating quirks aside, Ruby was extraordinarily gifted and she’d proven able to handle the pressure of her role as leader, too.

“This is quite well written,” she said and allowed Ruby to jump at her and hug her. For a few seconds. Then she cleared her throat and the younger girl retreated with a sheepish grin. Weiss hated clichés but there was something to be said for learning to follow in order to learn how to lead. 

The team hadn’t worked out as planned… But maybe that had been for the best.


End file.
